Apparatus for mowing grass or similar vegetation

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is provided for mowing grass and similar vegetation. The apparatus has a frame (1), in which a horizontal shaft (2) is rotatably mounted, the shaft (2) extending horizontally in the position of use. Swingles (19) are provided along and around the shaft (2), these swingles (19) being pivotably connected with the shaft for rotation about axes extending substantially parallel to the shaft. The swingles are terminated at their outer ends by edges (20), extending substantially parallel to the shaft (2). In order to make the apparatus operative for airing the grass field or lawn in addition to the mowing of grass, at least some of the swingles (19) carry tilling elements (26) for producing airing openings or grooves in the soil.

This invention relates to an apparatus for mowing grass or similarvegetation, comprising a frame, a shaft rotatably mounted in said framein such a manner as to extend substantially horizontally in the positionof use of the apparatus, a plurality of swingles being provided alongand around said shaft, said swingles being rotatably connected with saidshaft for rotation about axes substantially parallel to said shaft andbeing constructed at their outer ends with edges for cutting the grassor similar vegetation.

Apparatus of the kind referred to are primarily known in connection withthe harvesting of green crops to be used for silage, e.g. beet tops.These apparatus are well known within agriculture under the denominationforage harvesters. Such apparatuses are known e.g. from US-A-3.417.557and US-A-3.093.951.

It has been found, however, that apparatus of the kind referred to arealso suitable for the mowing of grass, seeing that they work fast andefficiently and give e.g. park lawns an attractive appearance. At thesame time they have the advantage that, by virtue of the swingles, theyare capable of throwing or blowing the cut-off grass upwards through thepipes with which apparatus of this kind are usually provided, so thatthe grass can be loaded into an accompanying vehicle. Moreover, it hasbeen found that these apparatus are also suitable for the cultivation ofareas having a high growth of grass or weeds. They can therefore be usedfor the cutting of the so-called rough of golf courses and, obviously,for the cutting of grass on fairways.

It is the object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the kindreferred to which has improved working properties, and to achieve thisobject, according to the invention, at least some of the swingles carrytilling elements for producing airing openings or grooves in the soil.Hereby the advantage is obtained that the apparatus, while operating tocut grass, can at the same time be used for performing a tillingoperation of the grass area considered substantially corresponding tothe tilling operation known as vertical cutting. Moreover, this propertyis obtained in a particularly simple and convenient manner, seeing thatno additional suspending means are required on the shaft for suspendingthe said tilling elements, seeing that these are carried by theassociated swingles.

According to the invention, the tilling elements may advantageouslycomprise a plate-shaped tilling portion, the plane of which issubstantially perpendicular to the shaft. Thereby, the tilling elementswill be capable of producing rather narrow grooves in the soil or in thegrass roots so as to provide an efficient airing.

According to a relatively simple embodiment of the apparatus accordingto the invention the tilling elements comprise pieces of flat steelbars, one end of which, in the working position, extends radially beyondsaid edge of the respective swingle.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the apparatus according to theinvention is characterized in that the tilling elements are pivotablysuspended in brackets for rotation about axes that are substantiallyparallel to the shaft, and that the said brackets protrude rearwardlyfrom the respective swingles, as seen in the direction of rotation ofthe shaft. Hereby a lever effect can be obtained, which is advantageousin connection with the depression of the tilling elements into the soilor grass roots.

The invention will now be explained in further detail with reference tothe drawing, in which

FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a vertical section through an embodimentof the apparatus according to the invention, in side view,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a swingle with associated tillingelements,

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show a swingle substantially corresponding to that ofFIG. 2, as suspended on a shaft, as seen in rear view, side view andfront view, respectively,

FIG. 6 is a picture illustrating the position, which a swingle withtilling elements according to FIG. 2 will assume when the swingle inquestion and the associated tilling elements are just freely rotated,

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are pictures for illustrating the manner ofoperation of the swingle with tilling elements shown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 11 is a picture for illustrating the swingle in question and theassociated tilling elements in case the swingle hits a stone,

FIGS. 12 and 13 are two pictures for illustrating a modified embodimentof the apparatus according to the invention and its manner of operation,and

FIGS. 14 and 15 two pictures of a still further embodiment of theapparatus according to the invention and illustrating its manner ofoperation.

In the drawing, 1 is a frame in which a hollow shaft 2 is rotatablymounted. In the working position of the apparatus, as illustrated inFIG. 1, the shaft 2 extends horizontally and is supported relative tothe frame 1 by two end journals, not shown. The shaft is also providedwith coupling means so that the shaft can be driven in the direction ofrotation indicated by an arrow 3. The frame 1 also carries a roller 4,which is supported by a pair of brackets 5, of which only the frontmostone is shown. The brackets are suspended in a slide, which is adjustablein a profiled steel bar 6, which is provided with holes 7 so that theroller 4 can be adjusted in different heights relative to the frame 1.The shaft is arranged inside a housing or hood 8 comprising a screenportion 9, which is shaped as part of a cylinder and encircles the shaftalong approximately 150°. At its front end, the frame 1 carries asubstantially plane screen 10, and at both ends the hood is providedwith a screen, only the screen 11 facing inwards in the plane of thedrawing being shown, the other screen being removed in order to providea view into the apparatus. The side screens are 11 are terminated at thebottom by a substantially horizontal edge 12, the height of which abovethe surface of the soil 13 can be adjusted in the manner explained bydisplacement of the roller 4.

Moreover, the frame 1 is provided at its front with traction means 14which are shown purely diagrammatically and which in a manner known perse serve to couple the apparatus to a traction vehicle, e.g. a tractor.

The hood formed by the screens 9, 10 and 11 is provided at its top withan ejection pipe 15, the upper end of which is curved backwards. Thisend can be provided with a movable chute for directing the ejectedharvested material into a cart which can be coupled to the apparatusshown or to a driving tractor in a manner known per se.

The shaft 2 carries arms 17 arranged in pairs. These pairs of arms aredistributed in the longitudinal direction of the shaft 2 and along thecircumference of the shaft, preferably in such a manner that the pairsof arms 17 form two helices starting at opposite ends of the shaft andmeeting at the middle of the shaft, the helices being right and leftturned, respectively.

Each pair of arms 17 carries a shaft 18, and each of these shaftscarries a swingle 19. In FIG. 1, a considerable number of swingles areomitted for clarity of illustration, but it will be understood thatthese swingles are provided on the shaft 2 approximately in the fulllength thereof.

These swingles have outer ends which are constructed for cutting grass,and in the example shown they are terminated by edges 20 extendingsubstantially parallel to the shaft 2, and such that when the shaft 2rotates these edges 20 sweep an imaginary cylindrical surface, which isshown in the drawing in the form of a dash-dotted circle 21.

At the upper and lower ends of the screen 9 horizontal steel bars 22 and23, respectively, are provided, and moreover, the frame 1 carries ahorizontal steel bar 24 in front of the shaft. The steel bar 24constitutes a form of counter stop for the swingles and at the same timeprovides a suitable termination at the front of the hood 8. Also the bar23 forms a kind of termination of the hood so that the driving effect,which the swingles exert on the cut-off grass, can be utilized at amaximum for throwing the grass up through the pipe 15. At the same timethe swingles provide a certain centrifugal effect, which contributes tothis ejection.

In the embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention shown inFIG. 1, each swingle 19 carries a set of tilling elements 26, which arepivotably supported relatively to the associated swingle 19 by means ofa bracket 27.

The construction of a swingle with associated tilling means is seen moreclearly in FIG. 2. As will be seen, the swingle 19 is carried by a pieceof flat steel bar 28, which is bent to an approximate U-shape, thebranches 29 and 30 being, however, pressed towards one another in orderto receive the upper end 31 of the working portion of the swingle 19itself. To secure the working portion against unintentional turning, ithas a small pressed-up portion 32. The swingle as such is heldrelatively to the U-shaped member 28 by means of a bolt with associatednut 34, which at the same time serves for the fastening of the bracket27. As is apparent from FIG. 2, the bracket has two arms 36 and 37 sothat the bracket as a whole is substantially U-shaped. Between the arms36 and 37 the two tilling elements 26,26 are suspended by means of ashaft 38 in the form of a bolt with associated nut, and between the twotilling elements 26 a spacing tube 39 is arranged. Each of the tillingelements 26 consists of a piece of flat steel bar, the upper end ofwhich is pivotably suspended in the manner described, and the lower end40 of which constitutes the working portion proper. Adjacent the bottomedge 41 an arcuate lateral incision 42 is provided in each side of theflat steel bar, whereby a cutting edge portion 43 is formed. The middleof the incisions at the same time provides an indication of the need toexchange the flat steel bar.

The whole construction is suspended by means of the U-shaped member 28on the associated shaft 18, which is carried by the associated pair ofarms 17.

As is apparent from FIG. 1 the bottom edge 41 of the tilling elementswill sweep a circle which in the drawing is marked by a dash-dottedcircle 45. By comparing the two circles 21 and 45 it will be seen thatthe lower parts 40 of the tilling elements 26 extend radially outwardsfrom the lower edges or working edges 20 of the swingles. Moreover, itwill be seen that the planes of the actual tilling portions 40 of theswingles are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shaft 2.

The operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will now be explained indetail with reference to FIGS. 6--11. FIG. 6 shows the position, which aswingle and the associated tilling elements assume if the suspendingshaft 18 of the swingle in question is in a position directly below theaxis of the shaft 2. The swingle with the associated tilling elementswill assume a position of equilibrium, in which the swingle points alittle forward relatively to radial direction (as seen in relation tothe shaft 2), whereas the tilling elements 26 will hang substantiallyvertically downwards. The swingle and the tilling elements 26 willassume the same relative position when the shaft 2 is rotated in thedirection of the arrow 3 (FIG. 1), the centrifugal force taking theplace of the force of gravity.

FIG. 7 shows the mutual position of the swingle and the tilling elementsimmediately before the shaft of suspension 18 of the relevant swingleassumes a position vertically under the longitudinal axis of the shaft2. This corresponds to the position which these parts assume immediatelybefore the soil is engaged. As is apparent from FIG. 8, the shaft 2 hasnow been turned a little further in a clock-wise direction, whereby thelower end of the tilling elements 26 has been driven into the soil by acombined striking and lever effect. The striking effect occurs as aconsequence of the rotation of the shaft 2, and the lever effect resultsfrom the fact that the tilling elements will be impeded by theengagement with the soil, whereas the swingle will continue to move,whereby a torque is produced by means of the rearwardly protrudingbracket 27. As a result, the swingle continues moving and cuts grass asdiagrammatically shown in FIG. 9, and at the same time the tillingelements will be hurled forward to form grooves in the soil or the grassroots, whereafter the tilling elements leave the soil as illustrated inFIG. 10. FIG. 11 illustrates the incident where a swingle hits a stone,and it will be seen that in that case the swingle has a possibility ofevading backwards so as to be able to pass by the stone.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show another embodiment, which corresponds to thatdescribed above with the exception that the bracket 27 with associatedtilling elements 26 is arranged on the front side of the swingle (asseen in the direction of rotation 3 of the shaft). In this embodiment,when the tilling elements 26 strike the soil, the inertia of the swinglewill force the tilling elements 26 forward so that the swingles, besidesperforming their grass cutting effect, will also exert a pushing effecton the tilling elements 26. Since the speed of rotation of the shaft 2is relatively high (of the order of 1500 revolutions per minute) it willbe understood that the movements performed by the swingle and thetilling elements take place very rapidly. FIG. 12 illustrates thesituation where the tilling elements of a swingle have just penetratedinto the soil, while FIG. 13 shows the same situation a moment later,viz. where the swingle has abutted the tilling elements 26 as explained.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 14 and 15, each swingle is connected with twotilling elements 26', like previously described, but each tillingelement consists of an angular plate structure, where the upper shortleg 27' thus replaces the bracket 27. In this embodiment, FIG. 14 showsthe situation immediately after the tilling elements have been engagedwith the soil, while FIG. 15 illustrates the situation a moment later.Thus, in the last mentioned embodiment, the tilling elements 26' and theassociated swingle form a stiff unit, and consequently the full momentumpossessed by this stiff unit will contribute to force the lower edges ofthe tilling elements through the soil.

I claim:
 1. Apparatus for mowing grass or similar vegetation, comprisinga frame, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame in such a manner as toextend substantially horizontally in the position of the use of theapparatus, a plurality of swingles provided along and around said shaft,said swingles being rotatably connected with said shaft for rotationabout axes substantially parallel to said shaft and being constructed attheir outer ends with edges for cutting grass or similar vegetation, andwhere at least some of the swingles carry tilling elements for producingairing openings or grooves in the soil, the tilling elements havingplate-shaped tilling portions substantially perpendicular to the shaftand in the working position extending radially beyond the edge of therespective swingle, wherein the tilling elements are connected withtheir associated swingles by means of a bracket.
 2. Apparatus as inclaim 1, wherein the tilling elements are pivotably suspended in theirbrackets for rotation about axes that are substantially parallel to theshaft.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the tilling elements arerigidly connected to their associated swingles.
 4. Apparatus as in claim1, wherein the bracket protrudes rearwardly, as seen in the direction ofrotation of the shaft.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the bracketprotrudes forwardly, as seen in the direction of rotation of the shaft.6. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the plate-shaped tilling portions ofthe tilling elements are constructed with an accurate incision in eachlateral edge adjacent the end of the plate-shaped portion.